


Obstacles

by Nary



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Galra Empire, Gen, Obstacle course, Pre-Canon, Teenagers, Training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-29 12:50:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19020271
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nary/pseuds/Nary
Summary: Elite young Galra are selected to be trained by Emperor Zarkon in the art of combat and leadership. Throk is uncertain why he's there, since he isn't as strong as the others.  However, he soon comes to realize that he has other skills that make him a valuable member of the team.





	Obstacles

It was a great honour to be selected for Emperor Zarkon's training program. Only the most elite youths of the Galra Empire, those of the purest bloodlines and who possessed remarkable skills, could dream of being accepted into its ranks. 

That was why Throk was very confused about why he was here. 

He looked around surreptitiously at the half-dozen other young Galra who were gathered in the antechamber, waiting to begin the testing. They all seemed confident, self-possessed, cool and collected. None of them looked like they'd spent the night before unable to sleep because of nerves, or like they were eyeing the exits and considering whether to make a break for it before Zarkon got there. Throk had already made three fully-developed escape plans by the time he'd sat down, trying to remember not to slouch as he did so.

The others were all bigger than him, including the girls. They were muscular and handsome, some had thick pelts and others large curving horns or skull-crests. Throk was skinny and lanky, and his fur, such as it was, was limited to a pair of narrow strips at the back of his head. He was from a respectable lineage, but not as grand as most of these young people seemed to be. They all looked like they had never come in second place for anything. Throk kept to the corner of the room and hoped that his luck would hold out and no one would talk to him.

For the moment, at least, his luck held out. One of the girls turned to the recruit with the full-fledged mane (Throk clenched his fists to avoid the urge to tug nervously at his own meagre pigtails) and said, "Aren't you Sendak?"

The wall of furry purple muscle, who was standing near the far wall, nodded. 

"I've heard of you," the girl continued, sounding more than a little awestruck. "You were the first one in this program, weren't you? The only one the Emperor picked to train personally."

"Yes," Sendak replied. Throk picked up a note of pride in his voice, and also that he was trying to remain neutral. "I'll be responsible for assisting with your training and evaluation."

That sounded like code for "I'll be the one beating you up later," to Throk. While he didn't know exactly what kind of training they were going to receive here, he was certain it would involve combat - and the slab of meat named Sendak was clearly proficient. Throk had received the expected basic education any Galra youth of his status would receive, but he hadn't excelled at hand-to-hand battles. He was too easily overpowered, even though he was quicker than many of his age-mates. Yet another reason he was uncertain why he'd been selected for this program.

The others were chatting more easily now, since someone had broken the ice. Asking one another about where they were from, how old they were, or whether they'd ever been on board a starship as big as this one before, as well as (of course) bragging about what they were going to accomplish now that they were here. They were sizing one another up - everyone had to know that some of the people in this room were going to be going home in disgrace, assuming they went home at all. Throk guessed from the way their eyes slid over him with barely a pause that they'd already placed him in the latter group. He wasn't a threat to them. He was hardly worth noticing.

Good. That was how he wanted it. He wasn't here to make friends.

At last, as if acting on some unseen cue, Sendak opened a panel in the wall, displaying an assortment of weapons. Some of the students gave quiet gasps of astonishment at the sight. 

"To start with, there will be a test of your physical skill," Sendak began, making Throk's heart sink. "Select a weapon of your choice from the rack, and then I'll give you further instructions."

As the other youngsters clustered around the weaponry, each seizing the blaster or blade that they liked best, Throk hung back. To an onlooker (and he did think there were probably onlookers - maybe even the Emperor himself - hidden behind the opaque windows that lined the chamber) he might have appeared to be daydreaming. Instead, he was calculating, looking for any advantage he might be able to gain. Besides, he didn't feel like joining in the squabble over who would get what.

By the time he finally reached the weapons, there was only a sword left. It was old-fashioned, but Throk didn't mind that. He took it, ignoring the sneers of the other trainees, and turned to find out what Sendak's next orders would be.

"You will begin by making your way through an obstacle course, following my instructions," the commander said. "At the end, there will be a test of your combat skills - against me." He looked like he was trying not to smirk at the prospect. "When your name is called, proceed through this door to the course." He gave them a final appraising look. "Vrepit sa," he told them firmly, and they each echoed the familiar words in return. Then he turned and vanished through the door, leaving them behind.

They waited awkwardly, each a bit uncertain now but trying to put a good face on it. This was the true moment of their testing. They would either succeed here, or be found unworthy of the Emperor's time - a disgrace that would forever haunt them. Throk gazed at each of them, trying to guess which of them would make it and which ones wouldn't. It was impossible for him to tell, but he felt like the one with the protruding lower fangs and the head-ridges was even more nervous than him, if that was possible. 

"Gnov," came Sendak's voice over the loudspeakers a few moments later, making them all jump. The tall, broad-shouldered girl stood up and, gripping her blaster tightly, made her way unflinchingly into the chamber beyond. Throk tried to get a look through the door as she went, but it was dark within, and it slid closed swiftly behind her.

None of them were sure how long they would have to wait. The testing might take a few dobashes, or a varga, or more - maybe they were even being timed on how quickly they could complete the challenges. Some passed the time by examining their weapons, pacing the length of the room, or doing stretches to limber up. Throk leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, deciding that it was better to conserve his energy rather than wasting it in worry. 

At last the loudspeaker came to life once more. "Trugg," Sendak's voice announced. Throk tried to analyze whether he sounded winded at all, but from one syllable, it was difficult to say. One of the other girls jumped up as her name was called, and all but ran through the door, ready to confront whatever lay beyond. 

One after another they were called. Sometimes the wait was short, sometimes much longer. Throk imagined that mean some of them had failed quickly, but there was no way to be sure. At last there were only two of them left: Throk and the fellow with the fangs, whose name he didn't know yet. They eyed one another anxiously, each wondering if the other would be the next to be summoned. 

"What if I don't make it?" the other student said under his breath. Throk was surprised to hear him speak, and even more surprised to hear him admit doubt and fear out loud. It was practically unheard of for a Galra warrior. 

"Well, you know, victory or death, right?" Throk said, realizing that probably wasn't comforting. But an idea was starting to form in his mind. "Listen - stick with me, and we'll get through it together."

His companion frowned. "I don't think that's allowed. We're supposed to go through one at a time."

"He didn't say that," Throk countered. "He just said we should go through when our name was called. If we work as a team, maybe we'll have a better shot." This wasn't entirely truthful - he did expect to depend on the other trainee's evident strength, but also hoped that maybe if he went first, Throk would get to see what kind of tricks and traps were ahead of them without getting hurt himself. Maybe they could even tackle Sendak together - two on one might have a better chance of beating him. 

He wasn't sure if his argument had worked, but at that moment, Sendak came over the loudspeaker. "Throk," the deep voice called, and Throk rose to his feet. 

"Come on," he said as the door slid open, "it's now or never."

"All right," the other youngster said, standing up. "My name's Drenn, by the way."

Knowing his name made it a bit more awkward, but he nodded. "Great. Let's go, Drenn."

The two of them hoisted their weapons and hurried through the door before it closed. It was dark inside, lit only by thin bands of illumination along the floor that showed the path before them. They followed cautiously, Drenn keeping his blaster raised and Throk with his sword at the ready. It was quiet except for their breathing, quiet enough for Throk to pick up the faint hum of laser weapons warming up. "Down," he ordered, and they both threw themselves flat on the ground as a series of violet beams sliced through the air where they had just been standing. They held still for a moment, waiting to see if there would be more, and then crawled forward carefully when they thought the coast was clear, only to be stopped in their tracks once again by another volley of lasers.

Throk examined the floor beneath his fingers as he crouched there, and was able to feel a faint click from a pressure plate. "It's triggered by our weight," he said. He shoved his sword forward, letting it press against the floor, and they watched the next series of lasers go off harmlessly. When he slid the sword towards the edges of the corridor, however, nothing happened. "We can go along the sides," he told Drenn, and they crept carefully over until they were squished against the wall. 

"You go first," Drenn whispered, and Throk crept forward, waiting for another burst of laser fire, but it didn't come. He still wasn't quite confident enough to get up, though, and so he kept on crawling even past where he thought the trap was likely to have ended. That was how his fingers found the edge of a pit that dropped off into darkness below. 

"Stop," he said, even as Drenn bumped into him from behind. He examined the ledge, unable to see how far down it went. 

"Reach up," came Sendak's voice out of the darkness. Throk thought he might have a heart attack at the sound - he had half-forgotten that Sendak had said there would be instructions to follow. "Use the bar to climb across."

Throk stood up hesitantly, wondering if it might be another trap. Drenn stood close behind him. When he reached up, he could feel a smooth metal bar stretching out into the void. He could move along it hand over hand - but he would need to find a way to hold onto his sword too, or else go into the combat against Sendak unarmed. Drenn's blaster was no problem, he could slide it into one of his pockets, but a sword was harder to manage. "You go first," Throk told him, still trying to figure out how to deal with his unwieldy weapon.

Drenn clapped him on the shoulder for good luck, and then he was off, swinging easily out over the chasm into the darkness. Meanwhile, Throk had just managed to find a way to clumsily hook his sword onto his belt when he heard Sendak's voice again. "Stop where you are."

Throk felt a cold sweat break out on the back of his neck, worrying that maybe Sendak had noticed there were two of them, that they had broken the rules and now the test would be stopped at once. But instead, Sendak said, "You are over a pit. Your task now is to get down."

If they had had a chance to talk about it, maybe Throk could have come up with a solution, but Drenn was on his own out there. He heard a grunt, and then... nothing. 

"Drenn?" he called into the darkness. There was no answer, so he called again, more loudly. Only silence replied. He didn't know whether Drenn had fallen, jumped, or found another way to get down. He would just have to proceed on his own.

With the sword banging uncomfortably against his leg, he gripped tight to the metal bar and began making his way across the pit. His hands were sweaty and he felt like he could slip at any moment, but he kept going, hand over hand. It was the way he had evolved to move, but even so, after a while his shoulders were aching, and he didn't know how much further he still had to go.

"Stop where you are, trainee," came Sendak's growl. Throk froze, suspended in midair over a dark pit below. "You think you can break the rules, eh? That they don't apply to you?"

Throk was fairly sure that was a rhetorical question, and didn't try to answer. It probably wouldn't help.

"Get down from there at once," Sendak barked. Throk's immediate instinct at that tone of voice was to let go and plummet to his doom, but he held on. If he was going to be disqualified, why should he risk a broken leg or worse into the bargain? Instead he kept going, moving forward stubbornly. He half expected the bar to end, or give way beneath his weight, but it didn't - he swung forward again and again, until finally he felt solid ground under his feet once more. 

Drenn was nowhere to be found on the other side, so Throk pressed on. He eventually came up against a wall with handholds in it, and began to climb, hoping this was almost over. He was sure he had already failed the test, and making him continue it was only pointless cruelty now. 

When he reached the top of the wall and clambered over it, he found that on the other side, there was light ahead. Blinking, he dropped to the ground and emerged into another training room, where he came face to face with Sendak, who was standing there, arms crossed and glowering. 

Throk slumped, positive that he was about to be reprimanded, expelled from the program, and sent home in disgrace. At least he wouldn't have to fight Sendak, though.

"Stand up straight, Throk," Sendak ordered. "I suppose you think you're clever."

With a shrug, Throk uncurled his spine, standing up to his full height. "I think I was picked for this program because I'm clever, yes."

At that, to his surprise, Sendak gave a short bark of laughter. "Well, no one else had the idea to bring an ally on the obstacle course. I'll give you that, at least. And you didn't let go of the bar when ordered to get down. Not good at following orders."

"I guess not," Throk muttered. 

"Some of your compatriots let themselves fall. They understood their orders and decided that their commander knew best - that if their commander ordered them to risk their own lives, then it was their duty as soldiers to take that risk. When it came to victory or death, they chose death, or at least the possibility of it. They were fine, by the way - there was a stabilization field below to catch them. But you chose a third option."

"Well, you didn't say drop," Throk pointed out. "You just said to get down. I got down by finishing the crossing."

"Indeed," Sendak said, smiling. "You showed intelligence, stubbornness, problem-solving, leadership, and an ability to think things through. Exactly the qualities we're looking for in potential future commanders."

Throk almost didn't believe what he was hearing. "You mean... I made it?"

"Almost," replied Sendak. "You still need to fight me."

Drawing the sword, Throk reflected that at least he hadn't carried it all that way for nothing. He was still probably going to die - or at least get beaten into a pulp - but he'd feel satisfied doing so. He raised his blade, and Sendak raised his as well, to salute one another. "Vrepit sa," Sendak told him, and Throk replied in kind, then braced himself as Sendak moved to attack.

The expected blow didn't land, though. Instead, from out of the shadows, Drenn came hurtling with a roar and tackled Sendak from the side. The bigger youth hadn't even seen him coming, and the pair of them went down with a crash. Throk stepped closer and moved his blade to Sendak's throat. "Yield," he said, and Sendak, pinned down by Drenn's weight, could only concede defeat. 

"I'm glad you made it through," Drenn said once they were dusting themselves off. "At least one of us did." Throk thought again about what Sendak had said about him showing leadership. He didn't think of himself as a leader, but then again, maybe it mattered more that other people thought of him that way. 

"We both did," he told Drenn, clapping him on the shoulder. "After all, you're here too." Every leader, he reflected as they followed Sendak out of the room, needed a follower.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr at [naryrising](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/naryrising) if you want to ask questions, make requests, or chat!


End file.
